December 15, 2015

Graphene Van Gogh is the name of the image captured by Michael Deagen, Ph.D., research assistant at RPI. This photo recently earned first place in the Artistic Microscopy, Black & White category of the 2015 International Metallographic Contest sponsored by the International Metallographic Society.

December 15, 2015

Professor Steven R.J. Brueck of the University of New Mexico was elected as a 2015 Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) and will be inducted on April 15, 2016. Dr. Brueck is a distinguished professor & professor emeritus in the Departments of Electrical & Computer Engineering and Physics & Astronomy and the former director of the UNM Center for High Technology Materials. Dr. Brueck’s research in nanotechnologies spans the fields of semiconductors, biotechnology, lighting, and materials science. His principal research focus has been on the process of nanolithography, creating patterns that approach molecular scales. He is a prolific innovator and inventor and holds approximately 49 patents (2013).

December 1, 2015

Smart Lighting ERC welcomes Richard Radke, Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical, Computer and Systems Engineering at Rensselaer as their newly appointed Deputy Director of the Smart LightingERC beginning September 1, 2015. In his new role, Professor Radke will continue to oversee the Adaptive Control and Simulation Research Thrust. As Deputy Director, Professor Radke will support the ERC’s research and vision, expand opportunities for new sponsored research and increase the visibility of the ERC through its innovative accomplishments and initiatives.

Unlocking the World of Digitized Illumination

Watch this webinar and learn about “Unlocking the World of Digitized Illumination” as presented by Smart Lighting ERC Director Robert Karlicek at the Philip’s Educational Webinar Series. Future lighting systems will be informative, sensory, and integrated into everything!

A Smart Lighting Revolution

The Smart Lighting Engineering Research Center is developing the systems that will transform the way we live, work, and communicate.
Read the full article that appeared in the Rensselaer Alumni Magazine, Fall 2015. Rensselaer Alumni Magazine-SmartLight Fall2015

November 9, 2015

Professor Yacob Astatke of Morgan State University has been selected for the “2016 College-Level Promotion of Education Award” and will receive his award at the Black Education of the Year Awards Ceremony (BEYA) to be held in February 2016. Prof. Astatke’s outreach activities are dedicated to spreading engineering and STEM education to underrepresented minorities and his work is definitely having an impact!

October 22, 2015

Smart Lighting ERC Director Robert Karlicek presented a seminar titled “Unlocking the World of Digitized Illumination” as part of Philips’ Educational Webinar Series. Of attendees that completed the survey taken by Philips (n=81), 98% thought the webinar was relevant or partially relevant; 95% rated the quality as a 7-10/10 and 89% would recommend the webinar.

October 28, 2015

Indrani Bhattacharya, PhD student (Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering) and Michael Deagan, PhD student (Materials Science & Engineering) presented the Smart Lighting ERC’s research to members of congress, ERC directors, industry representatives and National Science Foundation (NSF) program managers at the 30th Anniversary celebration of the Engineering Research Centers Program held in Washington, DC on Capitol Hill. Indrani and Mike explained their research in the context of societal needs and the broader impact of their success. Pictured below is Congressman Paul Tonko, (who is a strong support of the Smart Lighting ERC and the ERC program), ERC Director Bob Karlicek, Mike Deagan and Indrani Bhattacharya.[…]

November 6, 2015

Dr. Tessa Pocock, Senior Research Scientist with the ERC served as a panelist for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Women in STEM Leadership: Self-Empowerment and Other Keys to Professional Success that took place on Friday, November 6 at the Russell Sage Dining Hall Main Banquet Room from 5 to 8 p.m.

October 12, 2015

Dr. Tessa Pocock, Plant Physiologist in the ERC is invited to give a talk at the Portland, Oregon chapter of the IES (Illuminating Engineering Society) on November 18, 2015.

November 17, 2015

Dr. Tessa Pocock, Plant Physiologist with the ERC presented the keynote talk at the annual Department of Energy’s Solid State Lighting Technology Development Workshop on November 17-18, 2015 in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Pocock’s talk titled “Tuning the Spectrum for Plant Growth” discussed how the ability to tune the spectrum of LED light sources has opened up new possibilities for horticultural lighting — to improve indoor plant production and associated energy use as well as plant nutrient and pharmaceutical value. […]

June 29 – July 3, 2015

Dr. Tessa Pocock, Senior Research Scientist will give one of only 5 invited talks at the 2015 CIE (International Commission on Illumination) in Manchester England June 29-July 3. Dr. Pocock’s talk titled, “Advanced Lighting Technology in Controlled Environment Agriculture” will be presented on the opening day of the conference, July 29.

August 2-5, 2015

Sagar Ray, recent PhD graduate of the ERC (Rensselaer) was the first place winner in the student competition of the IEEE’s 58th International Midwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems for his paper titled, “A 10-Gb/s Inductorless AGC Amplifier with 45-dB Linear Variable Gain Control in 0.13-um CMOS”. Sagar’s advisor is Dr. Mona Hella, professor in the ECSE department at Rensselaer.

August 4, 2015

Professor and ERC Director Bob Karlicek is quoted in an article that appeared in Electronics360 titled, “The Human Side of Lighting” that discusses light and human wellness.

May 26, 2015

The Senate of Vilnius University, Lithuania, unanimously voted ERC Professor Michael Shur, (RPI) as an honorable professor of Vilnius University. Collaborating professor Gintas Tamulaitis from Vilnius said “There was no doubt about it. Nobody else made such a strong direct impact to research at our university as you. Thank you once again.”

May 30, 2015

Anqing Liu, ERC PhD student (RPI) was chosen to be the recipient of the 2015 Hillard B. Huntington Award. This award was established in 1976 by friends and former students of the late Hillard B. Huntington, professor emeritus of Physics. It is awarded at Commencement to an outstanding graduate student in Physics.

May 16, 2015

Bob Karlicek, (Center Director) talks about how lighting can be improved by using the ‘Internet of Things’ in an article and video published by the Albany Times Union. Robotic and sensor-enabled lighting systems will one day sense who is in a room and exactly how much light they need, depending on their specific activity. These lights could also be used to “see” or sense people who might be having medical emergencies using infrared technology without using cameras or invading privacy in places like hospitals, nursing homes and schools.

“We draw an analogy to the Google car,” Karlicek said. “Done properly, it will be safer, it will save fuel, and it will be better for people. And that’s what we want to do with lighting.”

May 8, 2015

Michael Deagen wins NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

First year ERC graduate student Michael Deagen (Material Science Engineering (MSE), RPI) is among the winners of the prestigious 2015 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (NSFGRFP) competition. The GRFP offers awards directly to graduate students selected through a national competition, and provides three years of financial support within a five-year fellowship period.

Deagen, co-advised by Professors Chaitanya Ullal and Linda Schadler, works on advanced secondary optics for multi-color LED systems. The Department of energy estimates that by 2027 such LEDs could save the equivalent annual output of 44 large electric power plants. Michael hopes to understand at a fundamental level the propagation of visible light through 3-D mesoscopic periodic structures and how to efficiently fabricate these structures. Working at Rensselaer enables Michael to synergistically leverage the strengths of the Smart Lighting Engineering Research Center as well as the expertise of the Ullal and Schadler groups in the Materials Science Engineering Department.

March 1, 2015

Center Director/Professor Bob Karlicek (RPI) attended Strategies in Light 2015 in Las Vegas and was an invited workshop panelist for “Human-Centric Lighting.” A blog post on Scientific Seen titled “Human-Centric Lighting: The Real Work Begins”, quotes Prof. Karlicek, cites the ERC work in this area, and provides a terrific synopsis of the panel discussion.